FRANK BATTEN JR. APPOINTED TO BOARD OF VISITORS

Frank Batten Jr., chairman of Landmark Communications Inc., was appointed to the Old Dominion University Board of Visitors effective immediately by Gov. Mark R. Warner Thursday.

As chairman of Landmark Communications, Batten oversees a diversified media company that includes The Weather Channel, television stations in Nashville and Las Vegas, and daily newspapers in Norfolk, Roanoke and Greensboro. The company also owns half of Trader Publishing Co.

Beginning his career as a newspaper reporter and advertising salesman, Batten later became general manager and publisher of The News-Enterprise in Elizabethtown, Ky., before joining The Virginian-Pilot in 1989. He served as marketing director, vice president and associate publisher of The Pilot until being named president and publisher in 1991.

In 1995, Batten was named executive vice president of Landmark, responsible for corporate development and new ventures, before becoming chairman in 1997.

He received a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in 1980 and an M.B.A. in 1984 from the University of Virginia.